Trending in Jamaica News: Is it the World Cup or the SOEs driving down crime in Jamaica?
Since the FIFA World Cup’s finals begin, there has been a noticeable decline in Crime and Violence in Jamaica. However, this begs the question, what is the reason for the sudden drop in crime and violence?
Most people think the FIFA World Cup Finals are driving down crime and violence in Jamaica. Because there is nothing in the world, Jamaicans love more than soccer. And history will back me on this: Jamaicans, especially men, will stop in the middle of the street to watch a soccer game. But, unfortunately, we have never produced a good team. Still, so long as Brazil is in the World Cup, Jamaica is in the world Cup.
Ironically, the government of Jamaica is taking credit by suggesting that crime is down because it imposed states of emergency in the seven most troubled parishes in Jamaica. And now, it needs to extend the SOEs. But the Opposition says no to the extensions. This is because SOEs have to be voted on in Parliament. The Opposition does not have the votes to block the imposition of an SOE. But it has the Constitutional power to stop any extension beyond the stipulated 14 days.
The Prime Minister was unhappy with the Opposition, so he used the bully pulpit to chastise the Opposition.
“Do we have an opposition that really and truly has the interest of Jamaica at heart, or is it the case that their interest is to see the crime monster get out of control for them to reap the political benefits?”
Andrew Holness, Jamaica’s Prime Minister
Most people thought the statement was a lowball from the Prime Minister, and suddenly, it occurred to them that it was the PM trying to score political points. He deliberately imposed the SOEs to coincide with the World Cup because he knew beforehand that crime would decline since even criminals love soccer.
In his clap back at the PM, the Opposition spokesman for National Security, Peter Bunting, said that the fall-off in murders and other crimes was not a result of the SOEs. Instead, he pointed out a stark national decline in crime and violence since the start of the World Cup.
It is an undeniable fact that SOEs don’t work. For example, the government has been imposing them all year, and murders are over 1300.